Aglandjia (Greek : Αγλαντζιά) is a suburb and a municipality of Nicosia. The Municipality is contiguous to Nicosia Municipality, the capital of Cyprus. It is a Municipality near the buffer zone with a surface of 31 square kilometers (km²), of which 14 km² are agricultural land occupied by the Turkish army since 1974. Out of the 17km² of free land, 9 km² are national forest parks (Athalassa park 8,6km² and Pedagogical Academy park 8,4 km²).

Geography

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Aglandjia is Nicosia's highest suburb, since its largest part is built either on hills or on hillsides or at tableland level. Aglandjia was built in mediaeval times, before Ottoman rule, on an important site for defensive purposes, the existence of natural resources and its healthy climate.

The natural environment of Aglandjia is unique, being not only endowed with the big lung of Nicosia, Athalassa Forest, but also with Ayios Yeoryios park, Aglandjia Municipal park, as well as 45 small parks and green spaces.
Aglandjia is built along the road, which led from Nicosia to Larnaca before the invasion. Two trapezoid hills overlook the site on both sides. The hill on the left is Arona hill, which is now under Turkish occupation. The trapezoid hill on the right of the road is called Aronas of Athalassa or Mount Lion or Liontarovounos, on which the remains of the medieval La Cava castle stand.

History and demography

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The history of Aglandjia goes back as far as 3888 B.C., since several tombs dating to the Bronze Age were found on the trapezoid Arona hill (Mount Lion or Liontarovounos). Around the hill there was an ancient settlement, from which the city of Ledra may have originated.
The Kafizin (in the buffer zone) or Small Aronas, a historic site with a cave dedicated to the worship of a Nymph, where important archaeological works of art and inscriptions in the cypriot syllabary were found, also stands within the area of Aglandjia.

In the Middle Ages, the Lefkomiatis settlement was in the area of Aglandjia. The area seems to have been inhabited towards the end of the Frankish rule, under the reign of Jacques II (1468-1473) and its name is believed to come from the surname of a Lusignan family who was the owner of the area.

After the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottomans, the Aglandjia settlement declined. It starts to form a self-sufficient rural settlement around the end of the 18th century. Its inhabitants are busy with farming, stockbreeding and quarrying. Around the end of the 18th century, dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios erected Ayios Yeoryios church on the site of the cemetery and Ayios Yeoryios church in Athalassa.

During the EOKA struggle, Aglandjia was present with organised groups and the sacrifice of Kyriakos Karaolis, whereas in the 1964 events, volunteers were incorporated in different companies. Andreas Nikolaou Koutsou fell in battle.
During the Turkish invasion, Aglandjia was not only bombed mercilessly but the war took a heavy toll of the city and persons went missing. The Turkish invasion army occupies 45% of its territory.

Aglandjia has...